


Sanctuary

by GALEXY



Series: Reverence [1]
Category: Code Vein (Video Game)
Genre: All The Ships, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, I came out of hiatus for this, Io is the cutest, Literally all the fluff, Multi, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Polyamory, Rating Might Change, Side Quests, Sleeping Together, Snuggling, Yakumo is a dork, and the fandom wasn't indulging me, baking buddies, i just needed soft content, romantic relationships, semi-verbal protagonist, the gang's all here, they're so poly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:41:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24096772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GALEXY/pseuds/GALEXY
Summary: A series of drabbles and domestic fluff that occur at the home base in Code Vein. Some of them feature the protagonist as a key point, some of them don't. It's mostly everyone just being a happy polyamorous bunch of dorks.
Relationships: Coco/Rin Murasame, Eva Roux/Jack Rutherford, Io & Eva Roux, Io & Jack Rutherford, Io & Mia Karnstein, Io & Protagonist (Code Vein), Io & Yakumo Shinonome, Io/Eva Roux, Io/Jack Rutherford, Io/Louis, Io/Mia Karnstein, Io/Protagonist (Code Vein), Io/Yakumo Shinonome, Louis & Io, Louis & Protagonist (Code Vein), Louis/Protagonist (Code Vein), Louis/Yakumo Shinonome, Mia Karnstein/Protagonist, Protagonist & Jack Rutherford, Protagonist/Eva Roux, Protagonist/Eva Roux/Jack Rutherford, Protagonist/Jack Rutherford, Protagonist/Louis/Jack Rutherford/Yakumo Shinonome/Mia Karnstein/Eva Roux/Io, Protagonist/Yakumo Shinonome
Series: Reverence [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1782076
Comments: 23
Kudos: 51





	1. Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> I refer to the protagonist as Valerian, and write him as a guy (mostly because that's just how my boyfriend and I played the game). You can imagine he looks however you want (though, every now and then I might mention his hat).

Valerian wakes with a start. The darkness filling the room feels oppressive and heavy. He feels around the bed, but when his hands come up empty, he remembers he’d decided to sleep alone.

He sits up. His hair is stuck to the back of his neck, slick with sweat. He’s not sure what he wants, but he knows it’s not to lay in the dark alone.

He pads upstairs. It’s dark here too, save for the candles. It doesn’t seem like anyone else is out an about. It’s unlikely that everyone is asleep—Jack and Eva most likely are. Yakumo isn’t in the kitchen—maybe the hot spring outside. If he knows Louis, he’s working on his research. Mia had left with her brother earlier a few days ago for an adventure. And Io--

“Did you have trouble sleeping?” Io asked. Valerian turns, and she’s sitting up in her bed. She’s wearing the pajamas Louis had gotten for her—a pale purple buttoned shirt and a pair of shorts to match. She blinks, looking at Valerian. She looks like she’s just woken up. Valerian honestly doesn’t understand why she sleeps up here. There’s plenty of room for her downstairs.

But tonight he’s grateful.

“Come here.” She says, scooting over. She pats the mattress next to her.

Valerian steps over the candles, sinking onto the bed next to her.

Io reaches to stroke his hair. He rarely takes his hat off, and Io likes playing with his hair, even when it’s damp with sweat.

He leans against her shoulder and she hums, playing with his hair and rubbing his back.

“Did you have a nightmare?”

Valerian nods. He feels Io brush her lips against his forehead.

“We’re okay.” She whispers. She smoothes her fingers through his hair again. Her other hand comes up to cup his neck, stroking his pulse gently. “We’re okay. I’m with you.”

Valerian sighs, closing his eyes.

“Would you like to rest here, with me?” Io asks, pushing Valerian’s hair back. “We don’t have to sleep. You just seem tired.”

Valerian looks at her and nods. Io scoots back so he can lay down. She curls up next to him—half on top of him, really. She has an arm and a leg thrown over Valerian. She tucks her head underneath his chin, curling to his chest.

“Is this alright?” She asks.

Valerian nods, curling his arms around Io. She nuzzles against him, humming a little tuneless song.

He doesn’t remember falling asleep.

When he wakes, sun rays are streaking through the windows and into his eyes. He brings up one arm to cover his face and he feels Io shift. Valerian makes a noise of displeasure in the back of his throat.

“Are you awake?” Io asks. She trails her fingers through Valerian’s hair.

Valerian nods, but keeps his eyes closed. He can smell something floral...something sweet.

“Do you feel any better?” Io asks.

Valerian opens his eyes, and she’s looking at him. She blinks before she smiles.

He sits up, yawning before looking at the table next to Io’s bed.

“Louis brought us tea.” Io sets her hand on Valerian’s arm. “But he didn’t want to wake you.”

Steam is still rising from the cup.

Io takes one and hands to to him, smiling. “Mia made it before she left on her trip.”

Valerian takes the cup, running his thumb along the lip.

“I’m glad you slept.” Io takes her own cup in hand, curling her fingers around it.

He nods, taking a sip.

Nightmares aren’t something he enjoys. But if he has to have them, at least Io is there to help him back to sleep.


	2. Cake pt 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the alternate title for this chapter was "And Yakumo is the biggest dork of them all".

“Remind me why we’re doing this again?” Mia asks. She and Yakumo had left the home base hours ago. Honestly, Mia was tired. She’d rather be or reading, or having tea with Io, or watching Jack teach Nicola to sword fight or...well, not this. When Yakumo had asked her to come with him into the outer crossroads, she hadn’t expected them to be wandering around for over eight hours.

“I told you already.” Yakumo rolls his eyes. “We need to get cocoa powder to make a birthday cake for Coco.”

“And we couldn’t get it from Coco because…?”

“Because then she’d know!” Yakumo shakes his head.

“We’ve been out here for hours.” Mia huffs. “And we still haven’t found cocoa powder.”

“Yeah, Coco is better at finding stuff than I am.” Yakumo rubs the back of his head.

“Does it have to be a chocolate cake?” Mia asks. “You’re really good at pound cakes. And I’m sure we have everything to make a vanil--”

“Don’t you dare say ‘vanilla’!” Yakumo stops at a trunk, pulling it open. “Her name is Coco; it has to be a chocolate cake.”

Mia leans over, peering into the trunk. “Did you find it?”

Yakumo sighs, rummaging around. “There’s some coffee, a paint set, a chipped tea cup, some spoons...”

“But no cocoa powder?” Mia asks.

“No.” Yakumo groans. “How does Coco do it? She can find anything.”

Mia picks up the coffee to smell it. “Maybe a coffee cake?”

Yakumo hums. “No, but coffee is great in a chocolate cake.”

“Ugh, Yakumo...” Mia picks up the teacup. “Maybe we should--”

“We’re gonna find it soon, I can feel it.”

“Yakumo, the sun is going down.” Mia looks at him before setting her hand on his arm.

“But, I just...” Yakumo sighs. “That was going to be my present...for Coco...”

And then suddenly, Mia feels bad for whining.

“You already made her that hibiscus rose tea. Valerian got her herbs and spices. Eva grew some daffodils. Jack found her some fancy soap. Io got her those chocolate garlic flakes. Louis got her some jam.” Yakumo sits down in front of the trunk, hanging his head in defeat. “And Rin...well, she said she’s surpising her with something. She wouldn’t say. Even Davis got her some jam.”

Mia knows what Rin has. She made Coco a charm necklace out of some copper wire. Coco wasn’t really a jewelry person, but Mia knew she’d like it. Rin had only shown it to Mia after she’d _sworn_ she wouldn’t tell anybody what she’d gotten Coco for her birthday.

“And, I mean, I have that brandy. Coco likes it okay, but Valerian gave me that. It feels kind of rude to re-gift it. Plus, I really like that brandy, and it’s half-empty anyways.” Yakumo sighs. “I don’t know...do you think she’d like this paint set?”

“Painting isn’t really her speed...” Mia says. She didn’t expect Yakumo to make her feel so guilty. But he’s good at this. Not on purpose, thank god. She fears the day he figures out how to weaponize his tall baby act.

“I guess I can make her a pound cake.” He leans his chin on his hand, drawing in dirt with a stick on the ground next to him. “She likes that fine.”

Mia stands up, holding her hand out to him. “Come on, let’s keep looking.”

“Really?” If Yakumo had a tail, it would be wagging.

“Yeah, lets see what we can find.” Mia smiles. “If we can’t find cocoa powder, I bet we can at least find something she’ll like.”

Yakumo smiles, taking her hand and letting her pull him up. “You’re the best.”

“Just don’t wait until the last minute, next time.” Mia shakes her head. “Your hopeless.”

“Thanks, Mia.” He looks down sheepishly.

“Let’s just keep looking.” She smiles. “If we’re out too late, everyone will start to get worried.”

They trek around the cross roads a few more hours, digging through trunks and boxes. They find some more paints, some cigars, another bottle of brandy, and lots of things they don’t need.

“Would a strawberry cake work?” Mia asks, pointing to a strawberry plant coiling up from the ground.

“That’s more Jack’s speed, but it’s a solid backup plan. Strawberries are also just good in general. I’m sure we’ll use them for something.” Yakumo gathers them up carefully, tucking them into his bag. “We did find that coffee. I could always make a coffee cake.”

Mia looks up at the moon.

“Can we just check the rest of the surrounding area before we head back?” Yakumo asks, sounding a little crestfallen. “I know it’s late.”

“Yeah.” Mia looks around. “You take that side, I’ll check here?”

Yakumo nods and the two them split up, checking boxes.

Now they’re both tired. Honestly, Mia is starting to think that cocoa powder is a myth Yakumo dreamed up. She’s digging through the fourth trunk in the area when her hand hits a little cardboard container.

She curls her hand around it, picking it up. She squints, trying to read it in the low light.

“Hey, Yakumo?”

“Yeah?” He calls from the other side of the cavernous room.

“What’s ‘cacao powder’?” Mia asks, holding up the jar. “I mean, the words are kind of similar, but--”

Mia doesn’t get to finish her thought before Yakumo is standing behind her, holding out his hand. “Can I see?”

Mia nods and hands it over.

Yakumo clicks on his flashlight, shining it onto the canister. “’100% cacao powder, non-alkalized, unsweeted...” Yakumo tucks it into his bag. “It’s a little different, but it’ll work if I modify the recipe a little.”

“So we found it?”

“We found it!” Yakumo laughs, picking her up and spinning her.

Mia laughs, too, holding on to Yakumo’s arms to make sure he doesn’t drop her.

“You’re a life saver!” He laughs, setting her down. “Oh my god, I could kiss you!”

She looks up at him, still holding his arms. “It’s just cacao--”

And then he does kiss her—quick and soft, right on the mouth before he pulls back, still grinning like an absolute madman.

“Are you ready to head back?”

She looks down, and he’s still holding her hand, squeezing it a little. She’s never seen him so excited before.

“Yeah.” She smiles, squeezing back. “Let’s go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a part two!! I already have ideas and plan to start on it soon! As usual, let me know what you thought or if you have any ideas down below!
> 
> xo Alex
> 
> Follow me on tumblr @galxynightlight


	3. Cake pt 2

Yakumo is still vibrating with excitement after he and Mia arrive back at home. He doesn’t sleep at all that night, just lays awake and thinks about how fun Coco’s makeshift party will be.

In the early hours of the morning, the first inklings of dawn spilling through the cathedral. Yakumo slinks from his room, heading up into the kitchen to start working on Coco’s birthday cake. The lot of them have never had a birthday party before, and the cake is important. Yakumo wants to get this just right.

He turns on the oven so it can start warming before he begins pulling down ingredients. He ties his hair back and washes his hand, pulling one of the aprons from the rack before he skims over his recipe. It’s in Louis’ slanted script—copied from another book. Louis is always doing that for him. Yakumo suspects Louis really just wants Yakumo to bake more.

“What are you doing?”

Yakumo turns, and Io is standing in the doorway. She’s wearing one of Valerian’s shirts—it looks more like a dress on her, though. Her hair is still a bit messy, and she rubs one of her eyes while she looks at him.

“I’m just baking.” Yakumo says, offering her a smile. “I’m glad it’s just you. I was worried you might be Coco.”

“Is it for the party?” Io asks in a whisper, walking to look at the recipe.

Yakumo nods.

“Can I help?” She tugs on his arm.

He looks back at her. He never forgets that Io is the smallest of all of them, but when she’s standing next to him, looking up like that, it’s too adorable.

“I’ve never helped bake before.” She tugs his sleeve. “Please? I want to.”

Yakumo musses his fingers through her hair. “Yeah, okay. Go put on an apron, and I’ll get you a hair tie.”

Io bounces excitedly before she turns to the wall, standing on her tiptoes to get the other apron off the hook. Yakumo slides his spare hair tie off his wrist and offers it to her.

“You’ve helped Valerian and Coco cook before, right?”

“A couple times.” Her brows furrow while she concentrates on pulling her hair up. She can’t seem to get a good grip on it all at once—her messy layers slipping through her fingers.

Yakumo holds his hand out. “Can I help?”

She looks up at him, still struggling to hold all her hair up, before she surrenders the hair tie and stands with her back to him. He combs his fingers through her hair, smoothing it out.

“Well, baking is a little different from cooking.”

“Alright.” Io stands still as he finishes sweeping her hair into an up-do.

“But as long as we follow the recipe, we should be fine.”

“Have you made this before?”

“Not that I remember.” He turns back to the recipe. “But it shouldn’t be too hard. We’ll start with the dry ingredients and work from there.”

Io nods. “What’s first?”

It turns out, Io really likes leveling dry powders in measuring cups.

“It says one cup.” She holds up the cup. “This is one cup. Not extra.”

“It doesn’t have to be exact.”

“You _said_ to follow the recipe.” Io levels off her sugar cup with a knife. “I’m following it.”

Louis chuckles, picking up the boiling kettle to pour hot water into the drip cone to make coffee.

Io wrinkles her nose. “Are you going to drink that?”

“No it’s for the cake.”

“I thought it was a chocolate cake.”

“It is.” He smiles. “But a little hot coffee can help enhance the flavor.”

“I don’t really like coffee.” Io adds the last of the sugar before she starts mixing the dry powders together.

“What’s wrong with coffee?”

“Well, it smells really nice.” she sets the bowl down, “but then it tastes really bitter.”

Not very many of them drink coffee. Mia keeps them more occupied with tea.

“Who gave you coffee, Io?”

“Well, one time Eva was making some. She made some for me to be nice, but...” Io shudders. “I don’t know how she drinks it.”

Yakumo almost laughs out loud. Of course Io hadn’t liked it. Eva drinks her coffee _black._

“Not if you add some cream or sugar. Then it’s not so bad.”

Yakumo turns to look at Io, but she still looks skeptical. He chuckles, skimming back over the recipe. “We won’t add too much. You won’t taste it, I promise.”

“Okay. I trust you.” Io smiles before hanging on his arm to peer at the recipe. “What’s next?”

“The cacao.”

“That’s what makes it chocolate, right?”

Yakumo nods. “I need to make a quick adjustment. Sit tight for just a second.”

“Alright.”

He hears Io pop the lid off the cacao powder and tear off the seal.

“It smells really good.”

Yakumo hums in agreement, doing some math in his head. If he adds some baking soda, with the coffee, he thinks it should turn out fine.

“Okay, Io--”

Then he hears a sputtering sound. When he looks, the are little brown clouds of cacao powder floating around Io’s face.

“It doesn’t taste like chocolate...” Io grumbles between sputters.

Yakumo can’t help but laugh. He pulls a cup down, filling it with water before offering it to her. “No, it’s a little more concentrated.”

Io sputters again before taking the water. “It’s _evil_.”

Then Yakumo really laughs. “It’s not evil.”

“It’s like the _coffee_.” Io says between gulps of water. “Chocolate is _good_.”

That makes Yakumo laugh even harder, clutching at his sides. “Io...Io, you cant just...eat the cake ingredients. We talked about that.”

Io stops to refill her glass, her cheeks a little puffed out. “I thought it would be like sugar. Sugar is fine.”

Yakumo leans against the counter, still laughing. “ _Only_ sugar. _Only_ eat the sugar from the cake ingredients.”

Io works on her second glass of water, seeming no less distressed. There are little tears in her eyes from the sputtering.

“What are you two doing?”

The two of them startle—Io fumbles her glass, but manages to keep hold of it. Yakumo only laughs harder at the sight of Louis, standing in the doorway with his arms folded over his chest.

“We’re--” Io coughs again before straightening up. “We’re baking.”

“Mhm.” Louis looks at the two of them, trying to hide the smile toying at his mouth. “I’ve never seen so much fuss while baking.”

“You know that’s a lie.” Yakumo takes a deep breath. “Remember that time Rin tried to help make pancakes?”

“Oh, don’t remind me. It took forever to redo the countertops after that.” Louis rubs his forehead before looking back at the two of them. “So, what are we making?”

“It’s a cake for Coco’s party.” Io whispers, holding her finger to her mouth. “You can’t tell anyone.”

“If Yakumo keeps laughing like that, I won’t have to.” Louis walks further into the room, looking at the batter. “A chocolate cake, huh?”

“Get it?” Yakumo asks. “Because she’s Coco.”

Io raises her eyebrows before smiling, like the joke had just occurred to her, before Louis rolls his eyes. “You’re puns get worse all the time.”

“Oh, fuck you, my puns are great.” Yakumo goes to add the cacao and baking soda, carefully measuring it to match Io’s technique.

“What now?” Io asks.

“Wet ingredients.” Yakumo pulls a separate bowl from the back of the counter. “Can you hand me the eggs?”

Io nods, picking them up. “Just drop them in?”

“No, we crack them first.” Yakumo smiles.

“But it says three whole eggs.” Io points to the recipe.

“Here,” Yakumo holds out his hand, “I’ll show you.”

Io hands an egg over and watches Yakumo crack it on the edge of the bowl before depositing the membrane and the yolk. She tips her head, watching.

“Do you want to try?” He asks.

“That’s alright.” Io hands him the second egg. “I’ll try the next time we bake.”

Yakumo cracks the egg, smiling at the idea of Io baking with him again. He enjoyed the company. Usually this was a solo activity, but he likes the help.

“What are the strawberries for?” Louis asks.

“Strawberries?” Io looks at him, tipping her head.

“The little red berries.” Louis gestures to the bowl.

“They’re for decoration.” Yakumo starts beating the eggs with a whisk. “Io, will you hand me the vanilla?”

She nods, looking for it. “I thought the cake was chocolate.”

“It’s just for extra flavor.”

“Like the coffee?”

“Exactly like the coffee.”

Louis picks up a strawberry, turning it in his fingers. “You did wash these, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did.” Yakumo adds in the vanilla. “Do you think I’m a heathen?”

“Yes.” Louis says, smile crossing his mouth, before he picks up a berry and bites into it.

“Hey!” Yakumo sets down the bowl of eggs and vanilla. “Hands off the merchandise, buster! Those aren’t for you to snack on.”

“Yeah!” Io chimes in. “You’re only allowed to eat the sugar.”

Yakumo chuckles while he pushes Louis from the room. “Go stand watch and make sure Coco doesn’t come in here.”

“I have other things to do besides--”

“Just do it!” Yakumo hisses before pushing him out the room. “Jeez.”

Io looks at the recipe before looking at the strawberries again. “What do strawberries taste like?”

“Fruity, a little tart.” Yakumo picks up the bowl of eggs again.

“Oh.” Io sets the vanilla back down. “That sounds like it would be good.”

“Wait a second.” Yakumo turns to look at her. “You’ve never had one?”

Io shakes her head, handing Yakumo the vegetable oil. “I’ve never seen them before today.”

“Well...” Yakumo measures out the oil. “I suppose I can spare one more.”

“Really?” Io bounces. “It’s not like the cacao, is it?”

“Promise.” Yakumo smiles. “Go ahead. You can have one.”

Io picks it up, turning it in her fingers.

“Not the green part at the top, though. Just the red part.”

Io bites the tip of the berry. Something in her face lights up and she turns to look at Yakumo.

“It’s sweet!”

Yakumo chuckles. “Yeah, they’re sweet, too.”

“Here.” She bites her berry in half before holding some out to him. “You can have some of mine.”

He look at her a moment before taking the berry. “Thanks.”

She smiles, and goes back to her berry, turning the leaves from the top in her fingers before she goes back to helping with the cake.

(btw, this is the cake goal)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admit it, at one point or another, you tried a cake ingredient you shouldn't have, and you've never forgotten about it. I'm trying to decide if I want to write the party or not. I feel like I should, but I don't have a lot of ideas for it yet. Hope you're still enjoying the story. Let me know what you think down below!
> 
> xo Alex
> 
> Follow me on tumblr @galxynightlight


	4. Dances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the final part of the Coco's birthday section

Coco’s party isn’t really just for Coco. It’s more of a party for everyone that happens to fall on Coco’s birthday.

Rin even programs new songs into the jukebox for them to dance to. Coco’s got her hands on Rin’s waist, moving her in slow, even circles. Louis is waltzing Yakumo about the room, leading even though he’s shorter. Valerian and Io aren’t dancing exactly, more of doing a prolonged hug-sway combination—her head tucked against his chest. Nicola is dancing on Mia’s toes.

Jack and Eva’s dancing takes up the most room. It’s no secret the two of them are the best dancers, moving in sweeping, swirling steps. The fabric of Eva’s dress swirls with each turn—their hands clasped while he keeps one hand tucked at the base of her spine.

“Excuse me.” Nicola tugs on the hem of Jack’s coat. “Can I cut in?”

Jack almost laughs—he’s not sure where Nicola even heard that phrase. When he looks to see that Yakumo and Io have traded partners, he suspects Louis is to blame. He’s swirling Io in a lovely little waltz—her standing on his toes, laughing and holding onto his shoulders.

“Of course, you may.” Jack says, offering Nicola a smile. Nicola barely comes up to Eva’s waist, but he refuses to stand on her toes.

“A proper knight _does not_ stand on a lady’s toes.”

Jack walks to the side of the room, standing next to Mia.

“He grew tired of dancing with his sister, I take it?” Jack asks, pouring himself a glass of punch.

“Nicola doesn’t like that I won’t let him lead.” Mia giggles, turning to look at Jack. “Even though he’s really not tall enough to do it himself.”

“He’s a good boy.” Jack smiles. “He’d be a good man.”

Mia nods, running her thumb along the lip of her cup. “How’s sword fighting going?”

“He’s progressing quite well.” Jack offers her a smile. “You should see him practice. I’ll invite you next time.”

Mia smiles back. “I look forward to it.”

The two of them stop talking, letting a natural lull fall into the conversation. It’s something Jack likes about having moved into this rag-tag group of revenants. It’s never awkward. They’ve all fallen into step over the last few months.

The song changes, but none of the couples dancing separate. Jack sets his glass down.

“Would you care for a dance, Mia?”

She looks at him, smiling. “Why not?”

He leads her out, pulling her in close, leading her through easy turns. They aren’t doing anything fancy—just a simple waltz. Of course, until Jack catches sight of Yakumo leading Valerian in...what he can only assume is a cheesy and poor imitation of a tango.

“Yakumo, honestly,” Jack shakes his head, leading Mia through a turn. “Who taught you to dance that way? Or are you just making it up as you go along?”

“I am not making it up. This is what a tango looks like!” Yakumo dips Valerian, who doesn’t look uncomfortable, persay, but he does look like he’s not sure what Yakumo is doing. He’s just following his lead.

“Really?” Jack raises his brows. “Are you sure about that?”

“I mean...I’m missing a rose between my teeth, but I’m sure I’m doing the steps right.”

“Clearly, you don’t know what a tango even is.” Jack rolls his eyes. “Perhaps Eva and I should show you.”

Everyone else has stopped dancing, turning to stare at Jack and Yakumo in amusement.

“Perhaps _I_ should show _you,_ Jack.” Yakumo rolls his eyes.

“Choose your fighter!” Nicola shouts, pointing of the two of them.

Jack grins, holding his arm out. “Eva, love, be a dear.”

“But of course.” She smiles, looping her arm through his. “It’s been such a long time since we’ve done a tango.”

And this is the part where Yakumo panics. “Um, Valerian.”

Valerian’s brows shoot up to his hairline.

“Yakumo, you fool!” Louis shouts. “Me! You pick me!”

“You have chosen!” Nicola shouts, throwing his arms in the air.

A grin creeps across Coco’s mouth, “Okay, this I absolutely need to watch.” She leans against the backside of the couch. Rin leans up next to her. The rest of the group joins her there.

“Be a dear and find a song for us, won’t you Rin?” Jack asks.

“Sure!” Rin bounces over to the jukebox, scrolling through the songs. She settles on something older sounding. Something steady, slow, and a little sexy.

Of course, Jack and Eva do the best tango, traditionally. It’s elegant and sexy with dips and turns—Jack and Eva pressed tight together in a whirl of complex footwork and fabric.

Yakumo and Valerian’s tango is...different. Yakumo manages to find a rose to put between his teeth. His dance with Valerian is a lot more moving across the room in a straight line pressed together. Occasionally he’ll spin them or dip Valerian. Overall, it’s entertaining—almost like a caricature of a tango, or a cartoon.

But they are both tangos. Coco smiles, and decides that overall, it’s a great birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yakumo's dancing skills are ripped straight from this scene in Sly 2: Band of Theives (a game my boyfriend showed me the other week) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6VxqbjMClM
> 
> I'd planned on writing this scene anyways, it just took me a while to finish it. I'm really sorry it took so long to get it completed. With...the state of things, I've had a hard time creating. I definitely plan on continuing this piece of work (I have another two chapter ideas in store for y'all as well as a smutty spinoff fic in the works). This is actually one of my favorite pieces I've worked on in a long time.
> 
> I didn't realize that there were other members of the Code Vein fandom who really craved this kind of content. I think it's really great that you guys are commenting and everything. I thrive on the feedback, you know? It helps me write when I know that people are actually reading and enjoying my work.
> 
> Thank you guys so much! If you want to leave a comment down below, I'd love to know what you thought!
> 
> follow me on tumblr @galxynightlight

**Author's Note:**

> I felt like there was a serious lack of soft fluff in the Code Vein fandom (seriously, where is everyone???) so I started writing this. Updates will be infrequent and irregular. I may be open to requests--either in a comment or you can message me on tumblr. I've had a really hard time writing lately and though this might be a good way to get unstuck. Let me know what you thought down below!!
> 
> xoxo Alex
> 
> follow me on tumblr @glaxynightlight


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